Supporting device for couplings.



W. F. RlCHARDS. SUPPORTING. DEVICE FOR COUPLINGS. APPLICATION FILED APR.10. 1913.

1,%18,5%2. Patented Jan. 23,1917.

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Patentefi Jan. 23, 1917.

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SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR COUPLINGS.

Application filed April 10, 1913.

- and locomotive tenders in which the coupler is pivotally connected soas to swing laterally to a bracket or socket that is fixed on thelocomotive, tender or other railway rolling stock on which the coupleris used.

It has been customary to provide the supporting brackets for couplers ofthis sort with a part intended to support the coupler in front of itspivotal connection with the bracket for the purpose of relieving thepivotal connection from the wear incident to the weight of theoverhanging coupler head and preventing the coupler from sagging ortilting downwardly from the intended horizontal position. Brackets havebeen provided for this purpose with an integral forwardly projectingshelf or part upon which a part of the coupler head is adapted to restand slide during the swinging movements of the coupler. There isconsiderable wear on the supporting shelf and the part of the couplerhead bearing thereon, but no provision is made for raising the couplerinto and supporting it in its proper horizon tal position in the eventthat the wear becomes so great as to permit an undesirable sagging ortilting of the coupler, and it becomes necessary to replace the bracketor the coupler or both, since the supporting shelf and lug are integralportions of the bracket and coupler.

The object of this invention is to provide a bracket or socket forpivoted couplers of this kind with a device which is adapted topartially support the weight of the overhanging coupler and relieve thepivotal connection from the consequent wear, and which can be readilyadjusted to compensate for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Serial No. 760,096.

any wear in the supporting device and cooperating part of the couplerhead, and which can also be readily replaced at small expense if worn orbroken and without requiring the replacement of the bracket. This isaccomplished by providing in connection with the bracket or socket, towhich the coupler is pivoted, a supporting shelf or part which isadapted to sustain the weight of the coupler in front of the pivotalconnection and which is adjustable vertically relative to the bracketand is also adapted to be readily detached and replaced, when worn, by anew shelf or part.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of alocomotive coupler and supporting bracket therefor embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof. Fig. 8 is a frontelevation of the bracket, the coupler shank being shown in section. Fig.a is a fragmentary sectional elevation in line 4l4, Fig. 1, of theadjusting means for the supporting shelf or part. Fig. 5 is afragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing a slightly differentadjusting means for the supporting shelf. Fig. 6 is a transversesectional elevation thereof in line 66, Fig. 5.

A represents a coupler which may be of any usual Or suitableconstruction, and B represents a bracket which is adapted to be boltedor otherwise secured to a locomotive, locomotive tender or other railwayrolling stock, and to which the coupler is pivotally connected.

In the construction shown the coupler is provided with the usual shortshank or draw bar a which extends into a socket or hollow portion C ofthe bracket in which it is pivotally secured by a vertical pivot pin Dextending through registering holes in the coupler shank and in the topand bottom walls of the socket portion of the bracket. The bracket ispreferably provided with an upright rear wall or attaching plate 0connected by strengthening ribs 0, 0 respectively, to the top and sidewe ls of the socket portion C which projects forwardly from the uprightrear wall 0 of the bracket.

F represents the supporting shelf or part, which is adjustably andpreferably detachably connected to the lower portion of the bracket Band projects forwardly therefrom beneath a portion of the coupler, whichis adapted to rest and slide on the shelf in the swinging movements ofthe coupler. The coupler is of a shape commonly in use in which thebottom portion of the head slopes downwardly and forwardly, or dependsbelow the shank a in front of the bracket. The supporting shelf Fpreferably projects forwardly beneath the rear portion of this enlargedcoupler head and the coupler is provided with a depending lug or portionG adapted to bear and slide upon the shelf. The supporting shelf F shownis pivoted to the bracket to swing vertically, for instance by ahorizontal pin f passing through hinge lugs f at the opposite ends ofthe shelf and through a lug f which depends from the bottom of thesocket portion C of the bracket between the lugs f on the shelf. Theshelf has arms 72 which extend rearwardly beyond the pivot pin f beneaththe bottom of the socket portion of the bracket and are provided attheir rear or inner ends with a part adapted to bear against the bottomof the socket portion of the bracket to prevent the forward end of theshelf from tipping downwardly. Preferably the rearwardly projecting armsof the shelf are provided with an opentopped pocket or chamber 72, inwhich is re tained a block H adapted to bear against the under side ofthe socket portion of the bracket. The weight of the coupler head on thefront end of the shelf prevents the rear wardly projecting arms of theshelf from swinging downwardly away from the socket portion of thebracket far enough to permit the escape of the block H from theretaining pocket, the block being thus retained in place. The block Hbearing upwardly against the under side of the socket C holds theforward end of the shelf up, and the shelf thus provides a rigid supportfor the overhanging coupler head.

By raising the block F in the pocket It and thus depressing therearwardly projecting arms h, the forward end of the shelf can be raisedsufficiently to compensate for any wear thereon or on the lug g of thecoupler, and thus prevent the sagging of the coupler. The block can bethus raised in the pocket It by means of set screws I passing throughthe bottom of the pocket, as shown in Figs. 1%, or if preferred theblock can be removed and one or more shim plates K placed in the pocketbeneath the block, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The block H can be removedfor this purpose, either by detaching the shelf F, or by removing thecoupler and lifting the forward end of the shelf.

irepresents lock nuts for the set screws I.

Any other suitable adjusting means for the shelf could be used.

If the shelf F or the lug g of the coupler head become unduly worn, orthe shelf becomes broken, the shelf can be detached from the bracket Bby removing the pivot pin and replaced by a new shelf at small expense.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a car coupler, and a bracket to which saidcoupler is pivoted to swing laterally, of a shelf on which said coupleris adapted to rest in front of the coupler pivot, said shelf beingpivoted to said bracket so as to be vertically adjustable, and means forholding said shelf at different elevations, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a car coupler, and a bracket to which saidcoupler is pivoted to swing laterally, of a shelf which is pivoted tosaid bracket so as to be vertically adjustable, said shelf having aportion ex tending forwardly from its pivot which partially supports thecoupler, and a portion extending rearwardly from the shelf pivot adaptedto bear upwardly against said bracket for holding the shelf insupporting position, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a car coupler, and a bracket to whichsaidcoupler is pivoted to swing laterally, of a vertically adjustabledevice for partially supporting said coupler, said'device being pivotedto said bracket and having a shelf portion extending forwardly from thepivot of said device beneath a portion of the coupler, and an armextending rearwardly from the pivot of said device, and means carried bysaid arm and adapted to bear against said bracket for holding saiddevice in supporting position, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a car coupler and a bracket to which saidcoupler is pivoted toswing laterally, of a vertically adjustable devicefor partially supporting said coupler, said device being pivoted to saidbracket and having a shelf portion extending forwardly from the pivot ofsaid device beneath a portion of the coupler, and a pocket in rear ofthe pivot of said device, and a block which is adapted to bear upwardlyagainst said bracket and is vertically adjustable in said pocket,substantially as abutment portion, another portion of said Witness myhand, this 7th day of April, shelf extending forward to underlie and1913.

support a coupler, and a pin passed h0ri- WILLARD F. RICHARDS. zontallythrough said bearing in said pocket Witnesses:

and through the hearings in said shelf, sub- DONALD C. DAVIS,

stantially as described. ALLEN B. BRIMMER.

@ogsfies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner oi Patents Washington, D. U."

